Switch-operating device



E. D. FARNSWORTH.

SWITCH OPERATING DBVIGE. l

No. 572,292. v x Patented Deo. 1, 1896.

@No Model.)

E. D. PARNSWORTH.

2 Sheets- Sheet ,2.

SWITCH 'OPBRAUNG DEVIGE. No. 572,292. y Patentgd 1390.1, 1896.

I /a/ F /a/ Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERVIN D.. FARNSVVORTH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Y' SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,292,dated'Decernber 1, 1896. Application filed February 2, 1895. Serial No.537,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LERWINDFARNSWORTH, a citizen of vthe UnitedStates,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSwitch-Operating Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

The object of this invention is toy reduce the cost of construction andenable the switching a operations to be conducted more easily andconveniently, and to secure other advantages and results, some of whichwill be referred to hereinafter inconnection with the description of theworking parts.

The invention consists in the improved car mechanism for operating the'switch and in the arrangement and combinations of parts, allsubstantially as will be hereinafter described and finally pointed outin the clauses of the claim.

Referringto the accompanying drawings, in which'like letters indicatecorresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure l` is a plan ofa railway embodying certain features of my invention. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the track and an elevation of a portion of a carhaving the improved switchoperating device. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewofV a lever adapted to be fulcrumed upon the under side of the car andto be employed in operating the switch-tongue. Fig. 4 is a detail of theswitch-operating device, illustrating a modification of theconstruction; and Fig. 5 is another detail likewise showing a modifiedlconstruction of the switch-operating device. Fig. 6 is a plan of arailway, in-

dicating a modification in the construction of the switch-tongue-operatin g mechanism. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the track andshows an elevation ofthe car and the relation of the latter toV theswitch-operating device, and Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional details alsoillustongue of any ordinary construction adapted to lead the car fromthe main line to the siding, and d indicates the car, the wheels ofwhich are suited to run upon the said tracks and to engage theswitching-tongue and be directed thereby upon the siding-rails in theusual manner. The said switching-tongue is connected by a pivot e to atransverse bar f, which extends from one rail to the other, preferablyfitting in perforations in said rails. Said transverse bar is seatedupon a plate g and slides longitudinally thereon and is held fromlateralmotion by lugs or projections h, the said projections being disposed atfrequent intervals to protect the said bar and prevent it from beingbent by heavy vehicles, &c., passing thereover. By moving the bar flongitudinally back and forth the switchingtongue .is turned on itspivot t' from its open to its closed position, and vice versa. To saidtransverse bar f are pivoted levers j j, and these latter are alsopivoted at points, as lo 7c, at a distance from the bar f, and aredisposed so that one or the other will lie in an inclined position withrespect to the main-line rails and where certain switch-operatingdevices of the car will engage the inclined surface and thus throw saidlevers and bar fand the switching-tongue c to or from their open orclosed positions. 4

Then one of the levers j is thrown from an initial inclined position toits position parallel or approximately parallel with the rail, the otherlever is thrown to an inclined position, so that the switching mechanismof the car will engage the incline thereof and throw the parts back tosaid initial position. The

said levers j] form a pair at each switch and present to the carmechanisms very long inclines, so that when the said switch-operatingdevices of the car engagethe said inclines the rapid movement of the carand its said switch-operating devices will produce only a slow or easymovement of the switch, thus reducing the impact and avoiding anyliability to produce a rupture or disarrangement of the parts. By makingthe levers jj in a pair, as shown, I am enabled to secure the longinclination desired without adding much to the weight to be moved inoperating the switch. These levers j j are disposed apart or lesssharply at their ends, so that the switch-operating device of the carwill not engage the extremity of the lever and will` become disengagedfrom the said levers jj before passing the extremities of said levers,

and thus therecan be no binding of the parts,

so that .the weighted lever of the vcar cannot operate as referred to.

to the `rails an, although they may be vas in Fig. 6, where a .singleplate is arranged -midway between the tracks, the one plate carrying thetwo levers. By having the plates and their levers j j .at the sides ofthe track, as in l Fig. l,.a full space is provided for the horses feet,enabling him to travel freely along the track without `danger of havinghis shoesv caught v0r of being otherwise injured.

rIhe switch-operating .devices consist of Weighted levers, which arefulcru-med upon hangers n, fastened to the bottom of the car inanysuitable position. I have shown a variety yof methods of arranging thesaid levers, but the preferred construction and arrangement is shown inFigs. 2 and 3, where each lever is shown to consistof an angular framewhich may be `of a single casting or, and preferably, of wrought-ironmade in jointed parts. The parts of the frame forming the angle arebraced by stays 0, and the said frame at one end is provided with acontact tongue p, adapted to engage one of the levers j j of the track,and at the other end is provided with a weight which normally holds thelevers so that the contact-tongue is elevated. above the plane ofengage-ment with lthe said levers jj. Said Weights q may be integrallycast with the frame or, and preferably, may be independent pieces.fra-me is joined to the said frame so as to have an independent movementthereon, a pivotal connection being preferable. The said tongue is heldin normal position to engage the lever j by a spring r, the said springbeing of sufiicient strength to enable the lever and its connections tobe operated; but

should the said-parts be blocked in their operation by stones or otherobstructive matter on the track the said spring will then give and thusprevent the frame from being dis- The contact-tongue of each arranged orforced from proper operative relation to the car or hangers. The saidframe lm is provided with bearings s, adapted to receive the pressurefrom the foot-piece t.- The foot-pieces are' arranged to slide insuitable bearings in or of the platform, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 9.The said foot-pieces are held in elevated positions by the power of theWeights q, the latter being of sufficient strength to not only hold thecontact-tongues in elevated positions, but also the said footpieces. Imay employ a spring s to assist the weight or to hold the foot-piece andthe contact-piece inv anelevated position when the weight is notemployed, as in Fig. 9.

It is evident that the switch operating mechanisms of the car, as wellas the switch mechanisms of the track, may be modified or varied inconstruction. The switch-operatj .ing levers may ybe arrangedlongitudinally The levers 7' j also rest upon platesl, which are in thepreferred construction disposed longitudinally adjacent with respect tothe car, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 18, or transversely, as in thepreferred construction -of Fig. 2. y

In Fig. 9 I have shown a construction in which the contact-piece p ishinged directly to the lower end `of a sliding plunger t in verticalli-ne with the foot-piece, so that by a simple depression of thefoot-piece tthecontact-piece is brought directly into the plane of thelever j.

In Fig. 4 the switch-operating mechanism of the car is shown to beoperable by the hand, the handle t in this case extending up in front ofthe dashboard of Jthe car. In this case the handle is coupled to aninter- Inediate lever m', Which extends longitudinally backward to thebearings s of the lever m, said lever m bein-g stationed far-ther backfrom the end of the car, so as to leave room for other parts. Theintermediate lever may be operated by the foot-piece t, :as in Fig. 5.The foot-piece projectingabove the platform of the car, as shown, ispreferably removable from its bearings, so as to be transferred from011e platform to the other yand thus not be in position to interferewith or obstruct the standing-space when not in use. I am aware thatotherchanges may be made without departing from the spirit or scope ofthis invention, and so I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfto the exact constructions shown and positively described.

In operating the invention the `driver or motorman simply depresses thefoot-piece and brings the contact-piece p into the horizontal plane ofthe inclined lever j prior to the passage of the car over the same. Theinclined bar is, when an engagement is made, caused to vibrate on itspivot as the car advances and with the transverse bar f and theswitch-tongue c move to its open or closed position, as will beunderstood.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what I claim as new isum IOO IIO

1. The combination with the ear, of the angular lever Weighted at oneend and at the other provided with the hinged contact-piece and aspring, o", controlling said contact-piece, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination With the angular frame fulerulned upon the car, ofahinged contactpiece, a spring, fr, for holding the same in normalposition to engage the switch meeh- Io anisms, and a depression-pieceadapted to throw said frame into position to make a oontaet,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this24th day of January, 1895.

ERWIN D. FARNSWORTH.

Witnesses CHARLES I-I. PELL, BEATRICE CHARLES.

